Land’s End to John O’Groats on two wheels for Frome’s Missing Link

Charity cyclist Marjory Hatvany, from Frome has raised £1,500 to go towards Frome’s Missing Links, a new cycling and walking path that will link up existing routes in the area. 

Marjory cycled 1,040 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise funds for the local link that would become part of the National Cycle Network.

Now Marjory is aiming to reach the £2,000 mark. Speaking about her fundraising efforts, she said, “I’d like to thank everyone for their generosity; so far we’ve raised £1,500 which will go towards developing the Missing Link in Frome.

“When it’s built it will create a traffic-free cycle path from the centre of Frome to the Colliers Way route, which leads to Radstock, providing a safe and scenic cycling and walking route for everyone. My next goal is to reach £2,000 and then we’ll see whether we can raise any more!”

Talking about cycling the epic Land’s End to John O’Groats route, Marjory said, “Riding end to end by bicycle is the perfect way to see what a beautiful country we live in.

“The weather was kind and we soon fell into the rhythm of spending each day in the saddle.  I was worried about whether I had trained enough before the ride, but we were a well matched group and the pace was comfortable.  We mostly covered 70 to 80 miles per day.

“The Devon and Cornwall sections were very scenic, but definitely had the most challenging hills.  It was astonishing to see the regional changes in the scenery and to listen to the accents change every day!”

The ride took place to mark the twentieth anniversary of the National Cycle Network which Sustrans first developed in 1995. The riders took on a slightly different route than people normally travel, incorporating the very best parts of the National Cycle Network including the Camel Trail in Devon, the Bristol to Bath path and the Lochs and Glens in Scotland.

To make a donation just visit www.justgiving.com /Marjory-Hatvany.

Kate Jones, events fundraising manager at Sustrans said, “Marjory has done an amazing job to raise £1,500 and is determined to get even more. She’s incredibly determined to make sure that the Frome Missing link opens and it’s inspiring to see her continued efforts. We’re extremely grateful to her and for everyone who has donated money.”

The National Cycle Network turns 20 years old in 2015 and runs for over 14,000 miles across the UK, linking up villages, towns and cities. The Network is open to everyone, whether on foot or by bike and is used by nearly 5 million people a year.